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© Mr Alan Francis Polaine

IoE Number: 224309
Location: CHURCH OF ST BOTOLPH, FRONT STREET
  TRUNCH, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
Photographer: Mr Alan Francis Polaine
Date Photographed: 02 March 2005
Date listed: 16 April 1955
Date of last amendment: 16 April 1955
Grade I

TRUNCHFRONT STREETTG 23 SE3/95Church of St. Botolph16.4.55-I

TRUNCH FRONT STREET TG 23 SE 3/95 Church of St. Botolph 16.4.55 - I Parish church. Late C14, restored 1881. Flint with ashlar quoins and lead roofs. West tower, nave, aisles and chancel. 4 stage tower, each stage of diminishing size, supported by stepped diagonal buttresses. String courses between floors. 3-light Perpendicular west window. 2-light ringing chamber windows with arches supporting reticulation unit. 2-light ogeed belfry windows carrying central 4-petalled vesica. Nave aisles with stepped side buttressing. 2-light west aisle windows with renewed Perpendicular tracery. Gabled south porch entered through wave moulded arch. Blocked side windows under hood moulds. Double wave moulded inner south door with hood mould on labels. Arched north door. 3 aisle windows north and south of 2-lights and alternating design : panel tracery and 4-petal flower motif. Eastern aisle windows have petals (south) and panel tracery (north). Clerestory of 4 2- light basket-arched windows with cusped ogival lights. Eastern nave gable repaired in brick, as is chancel parapet. Chancel lit through 2 early Perpendicular 3-light side windows. On south side windows separated by a stepped buttress springing from apex of gabled porch leading to priests' door. Moulded arched entrance. Diagonal east buttresses and 3-light transomed east. window. Interior. 4 bay arcade of octagonal piers with moulded capitals and bases. Double chamfered arches. Clerestory windows over apexes. Hollow and wave moulded tower arch on semi-circular responds. Double hollow chamfered chancel arch with responds terminating in polygonal capitals. Hammerbeam nave roof for which bequest exists dated 1486. Repaired 1897 and 1976-84. Hammerbeams on arched braces, alternately dropping to wall posts. Wall posts enriched by capitals and bases and rest on corbels in form of angels bearing shields and scrolls. Hammerposts carry arched braces to principals. Hammerpost and hammerbeam spandrels pierced with geometric tracery patterns. Hammerbeams terminate in carved angels bearing scrolls, shields and instruments of passion. One tier butt purlins and ridge piece with fleuron bosses. All timbers are moulded. Aisle roofs repaired 1897: arched braces to principals and butt purlins, all timbers moulded. Octagonal C14 font with flushwork tracery to stem and cusped petal tracery panels to bowl. Magnificant oak font canopy c.1500 in 2 stages. Lower stage of 6 hexagonal annulated posts carved with leaf and vegetative trails supporting elaborate cusped fan vault with central pendant. Second stage also hexagonal. with blank panels originally painted (Crucifixion scene just recognisable on one panel). Panels separated by crocketted buttresses rising to groups of 3 nodding ogee canopies to each panel. Each canopy with miniture vaults and each rise through foliage carved barrels to cured crenellated tops. Cap of 6 crocketed ogee open arches meeting at central finial. This font canopy is one of 4 surviving in England. Chancel screen dated 1502. 3 bays right and left of arched opening. Dado panels divided on west side into 2 ogeed lights and painted with figures of saints : Saints Thomas, Philip, James Minor, Matthew, James Major, Peter, Paul, Andrew, John, Jude, Simon, Bartholemew. Round-headed upper tracery heads above crocketed ogees. In chancel 6 C16 choir stalls with misericords. Chancel roof of 1907. North wall of chancel with wall monument to Launcelot Thexton 1588. Ashlar. Pediment carried on pair of strapwork pilasters. Between pilasters a rounded recess carved with a cloak, shield and helmet above brass inscription panel. Apron below in form of opposing strapwork scrolls. Repaired angle piscina.